If You Like ‘Task’, You Need to Watch These 10 Shows Next

If the sting operations, divided loyalties, and Philadelphia grit in ‘Task’ hooked you, there are plenty of crime series that work the same muscles. These picks lean on tight investigative units, criminals with ordinary lives, and casework that ties families and neighborhoods to federal and local police work. You will find task forces, undercover plays, and slow burn investigations that build to charged confrontations.

Each entry below includes practical details so you can decide what to queue up first. You will see where the stories are set, how the investigations unfold, and how many episodes you are committing to. You will also get a sense of the specific units involved, from homicide squads to anti corruption teams to federal task forces.

‘Mare of Easttown’ (2021)

Set in a small Pennsylvania community, the series follows a detective who balances a major case with the pressures of working where everyone knows everyone. The investigation moves through family homes, high school circles, and local hangouts, and the case file expands through lab work, phone records, and witness interviews that connect multiple missing person reports.

Production filmed across the state for regional accuracy, and the case structure runs across a single season with a clear beginning and end. Viewers get a focused detective unit, a defined chain of command, and procedural steps that track from the crime scene to the final arrest.

‘True Detective’ (2014– )

This anthology follows different investigative teams each season, with units ranging from state detectives to federal partners. Cases develop through interviews, forensics, and interagency records searches, and timelines often jump between the early days of an investigation and later hearings or depositions.

Each season is self contained, with a defined number of episodes and a complete case resolution. The show outlines jurisdictional boundaries and resource constraints, so stakeouts, evidence processing, and search warrants proceed in ways that reflect the agencies involved.

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Set in Baltimore, the story maps both sides of the law as a detail uses wiretaps, surveillance crews, and confidential informants to build cases against drug organizations. Seasons shift focus across the police department, schools, city hall, and the docks, while the central investigative work stays anchored in court ready evidence.

The series shows how a case paper trail is assembled, from pen registers and payphone intercepts to grand jury subpoenas. It also explains how overtime, unit staffing, and budget pressures influence whether a long term case continues or is forced to wrap.

‘Line of Duty’ (2012–2021)

This procedural centers on AC-12, the internal unit that investigates police misconduct. Episodes pivot on long interview scenes where officers must account for timelines, text logs, and body cam gaps, and each season follows a connected web of cases inside a larger conspiracy.

The format relies on case notes, exhibits, and policy rules, with officers tested against standard operating procedures. A season typically builds to a final file review and charging decision, which lays out what evidence is admissible and which lines of inquiry remain open.

‘Tokyo Vice’ (2022– )

Based on a reporter’s beat in Tokyo, the series pairs a crime desk journalist and a veteran detective as they probe financial crimes and organized gangs. Storylines cover club security, debt books, and corporate fronts, and episodes show how sources are cultivated and protected during sensitive investigations.

Locations include police precinct offices, newspaper bullpens, and neon entertainment districts, and the work spans surveillance, document pulls, and negotiated meetings. The show explains how media and police share information while keeping separate standards for publication and arrest.

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

This limited series tracks a single case from arrest through pretrial motions. You see intake at the precinct, arraignment, and the discovery process as the defense and prosecution trade evidence lists and lab results. The episode flow mirrors the legal calendar, with hearings that trigger new investigative steps.

Scenes in crime labs, holding cells, and attorney conference rooms outline the mechanics behind plea talks and chain of custody. The season’s closed format means every witness interview and forensic test pushes toward a final verdict without side cases.

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

Set within the FBI, this series follows agents who build a behavioral science program by interviewing incarcerated offenders and applying patterns to active cases. Episodes rotate between research sessions, field trips to local departments, and quiet office work where transcripts and profiles are assembled.

You get a clear view of how interview protocols are developed and revised, and how typologies feed into case briefings for state and municipal partners. The unit’s travel schedule and reporting lines are spelled out, so approvals and budget limits are part of the work.

‘ZeroZeroZero’ (2020)

This global crime story tracks a single cocaine shipment as it moves from producer to buyer through brokers who manage risk, shipping routes, and local enforcement. Chapters cut between cartels, brokers, and a military unit, and each segment shows the logistics, contracts, and financing that keep the pipeline moving.

Viewers see port operations, vessel charters, and customs inspection points, along with the tactics used to reroute cargo when a link fails. The limited season gives you a full picture of one deal cycle from order to fallout.

‘Top Boy’ (2011–2023)

Set on London estates, the series follows crews who control local supply chains while police units apply pressure through raids, informants, and surveillance. Storylines track how territory is managed, how cash is cleaned, and how family obligations collide with street level enforcement.

Across multiple seasons, the show documents how operations change when leadership shifts or when suppliers change countries. Police operations are shown with warrants, entry teams, and plainclothes work, so each sweep has a clear objective and outcome.

‘The Shield’ (2002–2008)

This drama focuses on an elite Los Angeles unit that closes cases quickly while concealing off book operations. Episodes move between precinct leadership meetings, street work, and evidence storage, and plotlines show how internal affairs pressure mounts when timelines and property logs do not match.

Over the run, cases generate audit trails that become central to later investigations. The series lays out how informant handling, seized cash, and interunit rivalry can alter tactics in the field and force choices that reshape the team’s future.

Share your favorite gritty crime series in the comments and tell everyone which one you are adding to your watchlist after ‘Task’.